Ten Most Fuel-Efficient Cars of 2010
Wednesday January 20, 2010
So I've put together a list of the most fuel efficient cars of 2010, as per the EPA's fuel economy estimates. Now, I'm well aware that plenty of sites list these ten cars; you can easily find 'em yourself at www.fueleconomy.gov. But I've driven them all -- well, all but one -- and as with my list of the ten cheapest cars, I've done my best to separate out the good from the bad.There are a lot of changes in the list since last year. With several new hybrids and a pair of new diesels now on the market, only one conventional gasoline-powered car made the Top Ten for 2010 -- and I hesitate to use the word conventional, because it's the Smart Fortwo. The Toyota Yaris, MINI Cooper, and Honda Fit, which rounded out the Top Ten for 2009, have all been bumped from the list for 2010. I guess this hybrid thing is catching on, eh? Anyway, check out the complete list.
Photo gallery: 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid
Monday January 18, 2010
The 2010 Detroit Auto Show is open to the public (see what's new and notable in this photo gallery), and by far the most intriguing new vehicle at the show -- to me, at least -- is the 2011 Honda CR-Z hybrid. Not only do I own a 1989 Honda CRX Si, but I also have our long-term Honda Insight parked right next to it -- and the 2011 CR-Z is pretty much a cross between these two cars.
For those unfamiliar with the CRX, it's a small, two-seat front-wheel-drive Civic-based coupe that was produced between 1984 and 1991. Small size and light weight meant that all versions of the CRX were fuel efficient and fun to drive; even so, Honda offered versions that specialized in one or the other. The CRX HF weighed next to nothing and got tremendous fuel economy (41 MPG city/50 MPG highway using the current EPA formula), while the sporty CRX Si could run 0-60 in 8.5 seconds on a 108 horsepower engine (and still had EPA MPG figures of 25 city/33 highway). My own CRX has almost 200,000 miles and is thoroughly clapped out, and it's still a heap o' fun to drive.So will the new CR-Z be the next CRX? You know, it just might be. Purists may well scoff at the CR-Z's weight (around 2,700 lbs; the CRX varied between 1,700 and 2,200), but let's not forget that the CR-Z is weighed down with air conditioning, a hybrid battery, six airbags, and a modern high-strength body structure -- something lacking in my CRX, which I imagine would crumple like a gum wrapper if it hit anything bigger than a Jack Russell terrier.
Me, I'm looking forward to the CR-Z's 6-speed manual transmission and its 128 lb-ft of electric-motor-boosted torque, which comes on between 1,000 and 1,500 RPM -- quite a difference from my CRX Si, which produces just 100 lb-ft at a peaky 5,000 RPM. I think it's going to be good fun, and I really like the car's new look.
It'll be a while before I get to drive the CR-Z, but you can take a closer look at the car in my 2011 Honda CR-Z photo gallery.
Cheapest Cars of 2010
Friday January 15, 2010
I have a special place in my heart for cheap cars. Let's face it, any automaker can deliver a decent set of wheels for twenty grand. But one harsh reality of the auto biz is that cheap cars aren't actually a whle lot cheaper to build than expensive cars -- so delivering a good value for under $15k is a real challenge, all the more so when items like air conditioning, power windows, and CD players are considered must-haves by most buyers. Seeing how the automakers deliver (or attempt to deliver) value at a low price is part of what makes testing these cars so interesting. That, and the fact that it's a lot of fun to get back to basics with a tiny engines, plastic wheel covers, and crank-down windows. (I'm lookin' at you, Hyundai Accent!)Last year's list of the 20 cheapest cars remains one of my most popular articles, and I've now updated it for 2010. One thing testing all these cheap cars has taught me is that just because a car has a low price, that doesn't mean it's a good value -- so I've given you the skinny on each of these cars, telling you which ones are the good buys and which ones you should avoid. Check out my list of the Least Expensive Cars of 2010.
Photo gallery: 2010 Detroit Auto Show
Wednesday January 13, 2010
The North American International Auto Show -- aka Detroit -- opens to the public this Saturday, January 16th, but you can see everything new and notable at the show in my 2010 Detroit Auto Show photo gallery. Thinking about going to the show? My Visitor's Guide to the 2010 Detroit Show will tell you when to go, how to get there, and what to see.Test drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350
Tuesday January 12, 2010
I'm never happy when an automaker redesigns a car I really like, because I'm always worried that they're going to screw it up. Perfect example: The Lexus IS. I loved the old one but still can't wrap my head around the new version they came out with, oh, back in 2006. (Granted, Lexus buyers are a lot happier with the new car, but so what? Who would Lexus rather appeal to - the hundreds of thousands of people who can afford their cars, or a vitally important automotive Seeing as how the old E-Class was one of my favorite luxury cars -- and seeing as how Mercedes didn't get it quite 100% right with the 2008 C-Class -- I was really worried that they were going to screw up my beloved E. So I drove one, and since the car has already shown up in my Best New Cars of 2010 list, I think you already know that they didn't. But you still want the details, right? Of course you do. Get 'em in my 2010 Mercedes E350 sedan test drive.
Photo galleries: 2011 Chevrolet Aveo and 2012 Ford Focus
Monday January 11, 2010
Today is the first media preview day for the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, and Chevy and Ford have already given us a sneak preview of two important cars.
First up is the new Ford Focus, which goes on sale in January, 2011 (presumably as a 2012 model). You may remember that the original (1999) Focus was designed in Europe and was, in fact, identical on both sides of the Atlantic. Then, in 2005, Ford introduced a new Focus in Europe, while keeping the same car in the US with watered-down styling. A 2008 redesign gave North America a new body on the Focus' ten-year-old platform. Car fans have been clamoring for the return of the European Focus, and their wish has been granted -- North America will get the same Focus as Europe and Asia, although engine choices will be tuned to each market. In our case, we'll get a 155-ish horsepower 2-liter engine with direct fuel injection. The styling, as you can see in the photos, is a pretty radical change, more in keeping with Ford's European lineup (although there's a hint of new Taurus in the sedan, if you ask me). North America will get both sedan and hatchback versions.
Chevrolet, meanwhile, will be introducing the 2011 Aveo RS. With the Chevrolet Spark due to replace the Aveo as Chevy's smallest and cheapest car, the Aveo is free to move upmarket, and Chevy is signaling the new Aveo's sporty intentions with the Aveo RS show car. This snazzy-looking 5-door hatchback is powered by a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine that puts out 138 horsepower. Now, this is officially a "show car", which means that some of the details like the fancy door handles, side mirrors and wheels probably won't appear on the final car -- but I saw a mock-up of the production Aveo at a media preview earlier this year, and the RS is pretty close to the car we'll be seeing in Chevy showrooms. Along with the 5-door hatchback, Chevy will offer a 4-door sedan version. Sure is quite a change from the current Aveo, wouldn't you say?
First up is the new Ford Focus, which goes on sale in January, 2011 (presumably as a 2012 model). You may remember that the original (1999) Focus was designed in Europe and was, in fact, identical on both sides of the Atlantic. Then, in 2005, Ford introduced a new Focus in Europe, while keeping the same car in the US with watered-down styling. A 2008 redesign gave North America a new body on the Focus' ten-year-old platform. Car fans have been clamoring for the return of the European Focus, and their wish has been granted -- North America will get the same Focus as Europe and Asia, although engine choices will be tuned to each market. In our case, we'll get a 155-ish horsepower 2-liter engine with direct fuel injection. The styling, as you can see in the photos, is a pretty radical change, more in keeping with Ford's European lineup (although there's a hint of new Taurus in the sedan, if you ask me). North America will get both sedan and hatchback versions.Chevrolet, meanwhile, will be introducing the 2011 Aveo RS. With the Chevrolet Spark due to replace the Aveo as Chevy's smallest and cheapest car, the Aveo is free to move upmarket, and Chevy is signaling the new Aveo's sporty intentions with the Aveo RS show car. This snazzy-looking 5-door hatchback is powered by a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine that puts out 138 horsepower. Now, this is officially a "show car", which means that some of the details like the fancy door handles, side mirrors and wheels probably won't appear on the final car -- but I saw a mock-up of the production Aveo at a media preview earlier this year, and the RS is pretty close to the car we'll be seeing in Chevy showrooms. Along with the 5-door hatchback, Chevy will offer a 4-door sedan version. Sure is quite a change from the current Aveo, wouldn't you say? Test drive: 2010 Audi S4
Thursday January 7, 2010
So I was mid-way through my test week with the S4 (and loving it) when I got this email from Audi explaining that the new S4 wasn't just a replacement for the old S4 -- it was also a replacement for the six-cylinder A4 (which has been striken from the roster for 2010). I'm pretty good at keeping up on the latest car news, but I gotta admit, this one somehow slipped by me -- and I was a little shocked. For those unfamiliar, the new S4 uses a supercharged V6 in place of the old car's normally aspirated V8, which translates to slightly better performance and much better gas mileage. It's still an awesome car -- but the idea that it's supposed to compete against cars like the Lexus IS350 definitely put a different spin on my review. How did it affect my conclusions? Find out in my 2010 Audi S4 test drive.2010 Honda Insight twelve-month test: December 2009 update
Wednesday January 6, 2010
You guys and gals have been listening to me talk about our long-term Honda Insight Hybrid for quite a while now, so I decided it was high time to bring you a second opinion. Basem Wasef is About.com's Guide to Motorcycles, but he also writes car reviews (including our test drive of the Lamborghini Reventon). Basem took custody of the Insight for a few days of in-town driving and a road trip up to central California. Check out his take on our long-term 2010 Honda Insight. Best New Cars of 2010
Monday January 4, 2010
Happy new year, everyone! 2009 will go down in history as one of the worst years the car industry has seen in a long time, but I think things are going to start looking up in 2010. Automakers have introduced dozens of new and redesigned cars, and among them I've found several that really stood out -- an even dozen that I feel are worthy of my annual Best New Cars list. Have a look at this year's winners. Here's wishing a happy and health 2010 to you and yours! What I did yesterday...
Wednesday December 30, 2009
Before I explain the awesomeness in the photo above, let me apologize for the lack of activity on the blog these last couple of weeks -- I'm putting together the Best New Cars of 2010, which I plan to publish during the first week of January. And yesterday didn't help... which brings me to the photo.
